Hello all. Bob Rollins here, Ed Tech Specialist with the Brooklyn-based NGO USACF (U.S.-Africa Children’s Fellowship). We launched the Bridge Project in 2016 in Zim and SA. The first pilot in Zim was in the computer lab of a center working with orphans and disadvantaged youth, deploying a RACHEL-plus for the existing stock of laptops. In 2017 we expanded the pilot program to two schools in rural areas outside of Bulawayo. Working with our great in-country partners at the CAAP Trust we have added 3 more schools this year (2018). Importantly, our CAAP partners have helped us secure support from a range of stakeholders, including the Provincial Education Director. We are working on plans for a Rollout Phase in 2019.

A special interest is to start a parallel program where local youth assemble Pi-based servers for wide-scale deployment.

I welcome any questions or comments regarding deploying RACHEL resources and devices.